the great controversy-第123节

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is　written；　Death　is　swallowed　up　in　victory。〃　I　Corinthians　15：52…54。　As
they　are　called　forth　from　their　deep　slumber　they　begin　to　think　just　where
they　ceased。　The　last　sensation　was　the　pang　of　death；　the　last　thought；
that　they　were　falling　beneath　the　power　of　the　grave。　When　they　arise　from
the　tomb；　their　first　glad　thought　will　be　echoed　in　the　triumphal　shout：　〃O
death；　where　is　thy　sting？　O　grave；　where　is　thy　victory？〃　Verse　55。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（551）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　34

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Can　Our　Dead　Speak　to　Us？


The　ministration　of　holy　angels；　as　presented　in　the　Scriptures；　is　a　truth
most　comforting　and　precious　to　every　follower　of　Christ。　But　the　Bible
teaching　upon　this　point　has　been　obscured　and　perverted　by　the　errors　of
popular　theology。　The　doctrine　of　natural　immortality；　first　borrowed　from
the　pagan　philosophy；　and　in　the　darkness　of　the　great　apostasy　incorporated
into　the　Christian　faith；　has　supplanted　the　truth；　so　plainly　taught　in
Scripture；　that　〃the　dead　know　not　anything。〃　Multitudes　have　come　to
believe　that　it　is　spirits　of　the　dead　who　are　the　〃ministering　spirits；
sent　forth　to　minister　for　them　who　shall　be　heirs　of　salvation。〃　And　this
notwithstanding　the　testimony　of　Scripture　to　the　existence　of　heavenly
angels；　and　their　connection　with　the　history　of　man；　before　the　death　of　a
human　being。

The　doctrine　of　man's　consciousness　in　death；　especially　the　belief　that
spirits　of　the　dead　return　to　minister　to　the　living；　has　prepared　the　way
for　modern　spiritualism。　If　the　dead　are　admitted　to　the　presence　of　God　and
holy　angels；　and　privileged　with　knowledge　far　exceeding　what　they　before
possessed；　why　should　they　not　return　to　the　earth　to　enlighten　and　instruct
the　living？　If；　as　taught　by　popular　theologians；　spirits　of　the　dead　are
hovering　about　their　friends　on　earth；　why　should　they　not　be　permitted　to
communicate　with　them；　to　warn　them　against　evil；　or　to　comfort

552

them　in　sorrow？　How　can　those　who　believe　in　man's　consciousness　in　death
reject　what　comes　to　them　as　divine　light　communicated　by　glorified　spirits？
Here　is　a　channel　regarded　as　sacred；　through　which　Satan　works　for　the
accomplishment　of　his　purposes。　The　fallen　angels　who　do　his　bidding　appear
as　messengers　from　the　spirit　world。　While　professing　to　bring　the　living
into　communication　with　the　dead；　the　prince　of　evil　exercises　his
bewitching　influence　upon　their　minds。

He　has　power　to　bring　before　men　the　appearance　of　their　departed　friends。
The　counterfeit　is　perfect；　the　familiar　look；　the　words；　the　tone；　are
reproduced　with　marvelous　distinctness。　Many　are　comforted　with　the
assurance　that　their　loved　ones　are　enjoying　the　bliss　of　heaven；　and
without　suspicion　of　danger；　they　give　ear　〃to　seducing　spirits；　and
doctrines　of　devils。〃

When　they　have　been　led　to　believe　that　the　dead　actually　return　to
communicate　with　them；　Satan　causes　those　to　appear　who　went　into　the　grave
unprepared。　They　claim　to　be　happy　in　heaven　and　even　to　occupy　exalted
positions　there；　and　thus　the　error　is　widely　taught　that　no　difference　is
made　between　the　righteous　and　the　wicked。　The　pretended　visitants　from　the
world　of　spirits　sometimes　utter　cautions　and　warnings　which　prove　to　be
correct。　Then；　as　confidence　is　gained；　they　present　doctrines　that　directly
undermine　faith　in　the　Scriptures。　With　an　appearance　of　deep　interest　in
the　well…being　of　their　friends　on　earth；　they　insinuate　the　most　dangerous
errors。　The　fact　that　they　state　some　truths；　and　are　able　at　times　to
foretell　future　events；　gives　to　their　statements　an　appearance　of
reliability；　and　their　false　teachings　are　accepted　by　the　multitudes　as
readily；　and　believed　as　implicitly；　as　if　they　were　the　most　sacred　truths
of　the　Bible。　The　law　of　God　is　set　aside；　the　Spirit　of　grace　despised；　the
blood　of　the　covenant　counted　an　unholy　thing。　The　spirits　deny　the　deity　of
Christ　and　place　even　the　Creator　on　a　level　with　themselves。　Thus　under　a
new　disguise　the　great　rebel

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still　carries　on　his　warfare　against　God；　begun　in　heaven　and　for　nearly　six
thousand　years　continued　upon　the　earth。

Many　endeavor　to　account　for　spiritual　manifestations　by　attributing　them
wholly　to　fraud　and　sleight　of　hand　on　the　part　of　the　medium。　But　while　it
is　true　that　the　results　of　trickery　have　often　been　palmed　off　as　genuine
manifestations；　there　have　been；　also；　marked　exhibitions　of　supernatural
power。　The　mysterious　rapping　with　which　modern　spiritualism　began　was　not
the　result　of　human　trickery　or　cunning；　but　was　the　direct　work　of　evil
angels；　who　thus　introduced　one　of　the　most　successful　of　soul…destroying
delusions。　Many　will　be　ensnared　through　the　belief　that　spiritualism　is　a
merely　human　imposture；　when　brought　face　to　face　with　manifestations　which
they　cannot　but　regard　as　supernatural；　they　will　be　deceived；　and　will　be
led　to　accept　them　as　the　great　power　of　God。

These　persons　overlook　the　testimony　of　the　Scriptures　concerning　the
wonders　wrought　by　Satan　and　his　agents。　It　was　by　satanic　aid　that
Pharaoh's　magicians　were　enabled　to　counterfeit　the　work　of　God。　Paul
testifies　that　before　the　second　advent　of　Christ　there　will　be　similar
manifestations　of　satanic　power。　The　coming　of　the　Lord　is　to　be　preceded　by
〃the　working　of　Satan　with　all　power　and　signs　and　lying　wonders；　and　with
all　deceivableness　of　unrighteousness。〃
2　Thessalonians　2：9；10。　And　the　apostle　John；　describing　the
miracle…working　power　that　will　be　manifested　in　the　last　days；　declares：
〃He　doeth　great　wonders；　so　that　he　maketh　fire　come　down　from　heaven　on　the
earth　in　the　sight　of　men；　and　deceiveth　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth　by　the
means　of　those　miracles　which　he　had　power　to　do。〃　Revelation　13：13；
14。　No　mere　impostures　are　here　foretold。　Men　are　deceived
by　the　miracles　which　Satan's　agents　have　power　to　do；　not　which　they
pretend　to　do。

The　prince　of　darkness；　who　has　so　long　bent　the　powers　of　his　mastermind　to
the　work　of　deception；　skillfully　adapts　his　temptations　to　men　of　all
classes　and　conditions。　To

554

persons　of　culture　and　refinement　he　presents　spiritualism　in　its　more
refined　and　intellectual　aspects；　and　thus　succeeds　in　drawing　many　into　his
snare。　The　wisdom　which　spiritualism　imparts　is　that　described　by　the
apostle　James；　which　〃descendeth　not　from　above；　but　is　earthly；　sensual；
devilish。〃　James　3：15。　This；　however；　the　great　deceiver　conceals　when
concealment　will　best　suit　his　purpose。　He　who　could　appear　clothed　with　the
brightness　of　the　heavenly　seraphs　before　Christ　in　the　wilderness　of
temptation；　comes　to　men　in　the　most　attractive　manner　as　an　angel　of　light。
He　appeals　to　the　reason　by　the　presentation　of　elevating　themes；　he
delights　the　fancy　with　enrapturing　scenes；　and　he　enlists　the　affections　by
his　eloquent　portrayals　of　love　and　charity。　He　excites　the　imagination　to
lofty　flights；　leading　men　to　take　so　great　pride　in　their　own　wisdom　that
in　their　hearts　they　despise　the　Eternal　One。　That　mighty　being　who　could
take　the　world's　Redeemer　to　an　exceedingly　high　mountain　and　bring　before
Him　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　earth　and　the　glory　of　them；　will　present　his
temptations　to　men　in　a　manner　to　pervert　the　senses　of　all　who　are　not
shielded　by　divine　power。

Satan　beguiles　men　now　as　he　beguiled　Eve　in　Eden　by　flattery；　by　kindling　a
desire　to　obtain　forbidden　knowledge；　by　exciting　ambition　for
self…exaltation。　It　was　cherishing　these　evils　that　caused　his　fall；　and
through　them　he　aims　to　compass　the　ruin　of　men。　〃Ye　shall　be　as　gods；〃　he
declares；　〃knowing　good　and　evil。〃　Genesis　3：5。　Spiritualism　teaches　〃that
man　is　the　creature　of　progression；　that　it　is　his　destiny　from　his　birth　to
progress；　even　to　eternity；　toward　the　Godhead。〃　And　again：　〃Each　mind　will
judge　itself　and　not　another。〃　〃The　judgment　will　be　right；　because　it　is
the　judgment　of　self。　。　。　。　The　throne　is　within　you。〃　Said　a　spiritualistic
teacher；　as　the　〃spiritual　consciousness〃　awoke　within　him：　〃My　fellow　men；
all　were　unfallen　demigods。〃　And　another　declares：　〃Any　just　and　perfect
being　is　Christ。〃

Thus；　in　place　of　the　righteousness　and　perfection　of　the

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infinite　God；　the　true　object　of　adoration；　in　place　of　the　perfect
righteousness　of　His　law；　the　true　standard　of　human　attainment；　Satan　has
substituted　the　sinful；　erring　nature　of　man　himself　as　the　only　object　of
adoration；　the　only　rule　of　judgment；　or　standard　of　character。　This　is
progress；　not　upward；　but　downward。

It　is　a　law　both　of　the　intellectual　and　the　spiritual　nature　that　by
beholding　we　become　changed。　The　mind　gradually　adapts　itself　to　the
subjects　upon　which　it　is　allowed　to　dwell。　It　becomes　assimilated　to　that
which　it　is　accustomed　to　love　and　reverence。　Man　will　never　rise　higher
than　his　standard　of　purity　or　goodness　or　truth。　If　self　is　his　loftiest
ideal；　he　will　never　attain　to　a